You’re coming to the end of your Australian working holiday on either the 417 or 462 visa. But you’re not ready to leave the land down under just yet. You’re considering extending your stay by becoming an international student. But how?
Good news: this is a path well travelled – many visa holders have converted their 417/462 working holiday visa to an international student visa (subclass 500) before, and it’s entirely possible that you can too. But as with any visa process, you’ll need to navigate a bit of red tape and bureaucracy in order to do it.
How do you transform from a fruit-picking caterpillar into a studious butterfly? Read on to find out. Alternatively, get a free study consultation from an education expert thanks to our partners at GoStudy.
Do I need to leave the country to apply for a student visa?
No, you don’t need to leave the country to apply for an international student visa – you can do it all while you’re in Australia, provided you do so before your current visa expires.
It should also be noted that some visas have conditions that prevent you from extending your stay, although you can apply for such conditions to be waived.
Will I need a bridging visa?
Bridging visas are designed to allow applicants to stay in Australia while their new visa application is being processed. They activate the moment your current visa expires. In most cases you will automatically apply for a bridging visa (such as Bridging Visa A) when you apply for your international student visa.
An important note: cancelling your current visa does not activate your bridging visa, it actually cancels it, which means you’ll be in Australia unlawfully.
Confirmation of Enrolment
One of the main requirements for an international student visa is that you are enrolled for study in a registered course (one offered by an education provider registered with CRICOS – the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students).
Proof comes in the form of a confirmation of enrolment (CoE) – an official document that records your course, its start and end dates, and fees both paid and unpaid. Your education provider will issue the confirmation of enrolment once you’re locked into your course.
Choosing a course
Not sure exactly what you want to study while you’re on your international student visa? The following tips might help you focus your search:
- Follow your interests: Don’t choose an area of study according to the likelihood of being accepted or the potential pay – aim for a field you have a genuine interest in.
- Think long-term: If you have an idea of your future career, or if you want to call Australia home permanently, choose a course that will arm you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.
- Do a general or two-part degree: The more generalised and broad you begin your student journey, the more options you’ll have later.
- Begin with a short course: If you just don’t know what you want to study, avoid locking yourself into a particular path for years on end. Test the waters by beginning with a shorter course – say six months.
Choosing an institution
The student visa for Australia (subclass 500) allows you to study English, Certificates I, II, III & IV, Diplomas, Degrees, Masters and Doctorates with a CRICOS-registered educational institution, most commonly universities.
The institution you choose will largely be driven by the course you want to undertake – most unis are known for their prowess in certain fields – and the area of Australia you’d like to call home. Choosing the right institution is simply a matter of doing your research and finding a well regarded provider that meets your needs.
Can I study part-time?
The short answer? No, you cannot. As an international student visa holder in Australia you are required to take on a full-time study load, which usually means four courses (or eight ‘study units’) per semester.
There are always exceptions, such as if you’ve been approved by your faculty for a reduced study load.
Am I allowed to work? If so, how many hours per week?
As the holder of an international student visa you are indeed allowed to find a suitable student job. Up until 2022 this work was restricted to 20 hours per week while study is in session, but no work limits applied during holiday periods.
At the beginning of 2022, however, temporary changes were announced that allowed student visa holders to work as much as they wanted. The previous study-period limitations are scheduled to be reintroduced at the end of 2022.
Are there any financial requirements?
Yes, you must meet financial requirements to be accepted for the student visa (subclass 500). Unless you’re a rare case that meets fee exemption requirements, the application itself costs AU$650. You must then, in the federal government’s words, prove that you “have enough money to pay for your stay in Australia.”
What ‘enough money’ means for you will depend on a number of factors such as travel expenses, the course you choose and the cost of living in your new home. You can find your figure by going to the ‘Gather your documents’ section on the student visa web page.
How much does it cost to study?
As mentioned above, the cost of study in Australia depends on a number of factors. Living in Sydney is far more expensive than living in the country, and a medical degree is far more expensive than vocational training. That said, the following cost brackets cover most – though not all – study situations:
- Initial expenses (visa application, travel, setting up your life): AU$4000-$7000
- Living expenses (annual): AU$20,000-$30,000
- University costs (annual, excluding high-priced degrees): AU$20,000-$40,000
Can I study remotely?
International students are currently permitted to do up to one-third of their study online, giving you the freedom to explore Australia while you’re here. The remaining two-thirds of your course however will need to be completed face-to-face.
How long can I stay in Australia on a student visa?
The length of your international student visa will align with the course you’ve enrolled in. If your course is:
- More than 10 months long: The visa will usually extend to 2-5 months past the completion of the course (depending on the time of the year that the course finishes).
- Less than 10 months long: The visa will usually extend to one month past the completion of the course.
The maximum total length of stay for a student visa is five years, although exemptions may apply.
What if I want to change my course?
Perhaps your chosen course isn’t quite what you expected. Perhaps you’ve had a change of heart about what you want to do with your life. Maybe something just doesn’t feel quite right. Whatever the case, you’d like to change course.
The good news is that as an international student visa holder you can change courses. You’ll just need to be aware of a few rules and regulations.
If you change to a course that is at the same or a higher level according to the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF), your education provider will update the Department of Home Affairs for you. If you want to change to a lower-level or non-AQF course, however, you’ll need to apply for a new student visa, which means you’ll essentially start back at square one.
What if I fail my course?
A key condition of the student visa (subclass 500) is that you “complete your program within the expected duration.” This means that if you fail your course as an international student you have two main options.
Firstly you can try to make up lost ground through things like cross-institutional study with another education provider. More often though a failure will mean obtaining a new student visa, as this is the only way to extend your stay past the approximate end date of the initial course.
What’s next? Can I continue my studies/do a masters/pick a new course?
Whether you’re looking to do a masters or embark on an entirely new course, you can certainly choose to continue to study in Australia (though this study is limited to five years).
The process of extending/renewing your student visa is pretty much the same as getting your initial visa, and usually begins within 3-4 months of the end of your current visa. If you decide you want to extend, you’ll need to first obtain a confirmation of enrolment from a CRICOS-registered institution, then collect all the necessary supporting documents that the Department of Home Affairs requires (usually less than what you needed to supply for your initial visa).
You can apply online, and the fees for extensions/renewals tend to be slightly lower than fees for brand new applications. Process times are usually in the range of four to six weeks.
I’ve completed my course. Can I become a permanent resident or citizen?
Do you love Australia so much that you’d like to call the country home? There are three main paths that international students can take to permanent residency, though it should be noted that all are far more likely if you choose to study in a field that Australia has a stated need for.
Permanent residency pathways include:
- Temporary graduate visa (subclass 485): Recently graduated international students with specific skills and qualifications can gain unrestricted work rights on this (usually) two-year visa, which can help you to meet the requirements for a permanent visa.
- Skilled migration: This form of permanent visa doesn’t require sponsorship, and is granted based on factors such as your skills, study history, work experience, age and level of English.
- Employee sponsorship: If you do not meet the skilled migration requirements of the visas above, you may be able to secure employee sponsorship. This pathway usually begins with a temporary skills shortage visa (subclass 482), and after three years of working with your sponsor employer you’ll be eligible to apply for permanent residency.
